Securing means for bleacher seats



Nov. 9, 1943. H. v. LUDwlcK 2,333,803

SEGURING MEANS FOR BLEACHER SEATS Original Filed Sept. 20. 1940 1N V E NTOR.

BY l

Patented Nov. y9, 1943 vHerbert V. Ludwick, Dearborn, Mich. Original application September 20, 1940, ,Serial No. 357,566. Divided and this application gust 23, 1941, Serial No. 408,034

s claims. (o1. 155-130) This invention relates to bleacher assemblies and particularly to means for securing the seat and oor boards in position. This application is a division. of my co-pending application, S. N. 357,566, filed September 20, 1940, which became a patent on March 24, 1942, No. 2,277,594.

An object of the invention is the provision of a seat securing device which will take the thrust of the seats in all directions. f

Another obj ect of the invention is the provision of a device which will secure the fbleacher seats and floor boards in position and will permit them to be readily removed when desired.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device which serves vas spacers between the supporting members of the bleacher seats.

VThe foregoing objects` and other advantages Vof the invention will appear as the description proceeds, reference being made from time to time to the accompanying drawing, in which: .f

Fig. 1 .is an enlarged fragmentary `detail of a bleacher structure embodying my invention.

Fig. 'Zis a section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. v v

. Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the caps used in connection with the seats.

Referring now morevparticularly 'to thedrawing, it will be seen that in the embodiment herein disclosed, the reference character 6 indicates a Stringer which is supported by means of the jack 1, the cross member of which is shown as at 8.

direction. In order to prevent the seat boards I5 from being displaced, I provide a locking device I8 for each end of the seat.- The locking device I8 consists of a pair of ears (Fig. 2l I9, formed on the member I1, into which is pivoted, at 20, a fiat latch member 2|. The latch member 2| is balanced so that it normally rests in angular position as shown in Fig. 2, so that its upper end engages under the upper'portionsof the brackets 9. This permits each of the seat boards` I6 to be readily placed in position, for as it moves downwardly, the latch 2| is swung out of the way, and when the seat boardsfare in position of rest the latch 2| swings into locking position, as shown in Fig. 2. The latch 2| is easily swung out of locking position by hand if it is desired to remove the board I6 from the brackets 9, but any unintentional upward movement of the boards i6 is prevented when the latch is in position as shown in Figs. 2

and` 3. The latch 2| is limited in upward swing byv means of a stop 22, and the bottom of the slot in which it operates.

The foot` boards 23 are supported by bridge members I0 which are made up of two angle irons welded together to form a T as Shown in Fig. 3,v

and which are secured by rivets 24 or by welding to the seat brackets 9, as shown in Fig. 1. The

vfoot boards 23 have dependingchannel members be accidentally upwardly displaced.

The jack 1 is preferably a rectangular assembly. I.

made up of a piurality of channel members welded together and braced by the channel shaped cross' member t, and reinforced by cross members (not `shown) but illustrated and describedmore particularly in my copendingapplication referred to above. The seat supports 9 and foot board supports I0 are arranged above the stringers 6, and are directly supported thereby. The seat supports 9 are formed of angleiron having a T-shaped cross section (Fig. 2) and notched as atiil, and bent to form inverted U-shaped brackets. The free ends of the brackets are cut so that one leg of the T rests on the stringere 6, as at I2. The other legs of the T are bent as at i3, the bent ends I3 being secured to the Stringers E by means of rivets |I| or other suitable means.

I prefer to brace the seat brackets 9 by welding or riveting the cross members I5 thereto, as shown in Fig. l. The seat boards IE have depending from their under sides inverted cup-like members I1 which are adapted to fit over the upper portions of the brackets 9, and prevent the seat boards I6 from being displaced laterally in any Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a portable bieacher construction, including inclined stringers supported by rectangular jacks, and seat board supports, the combination of seat boards on said seat board supports, each of said seat boards having rectangular cup-like members depending from its underside, each of `said cup-like members embracing the upper p0rtion of one of said seat board supports, whereby r the said seat boards are held against lateral displacement in any direction.

l 2. The combination defined in claim l, wherein each cup-like member is provided with a pivoted latch which is arranged'to engage a portion of the `adjacent seat board support, whereby the seat board is held against upward displacement.

3. The combination dened in claim 1, wherein each cup-like member is provided with a pivoted latch, which is arranged to move in a vertical plane and which is arranged to engage a portion of the seat board support and lock the parts together, only upon the upward movement of the seat board. y HERBERT V. LUDWICK. 

